Keita
by Saorsa
Summary: AU: An old friend shows up and threatens Booth and Bones way of life. Will they make it through? Read and find out, all helpful feedback is appreciated. All derogatory comments will be ignored.
1. Chapter 1

**i dont own bones. please review.**

It was just another day in the office filing paperwork for Special Agent Seeley Booth. He and his partner hadn't had any new cases in almost a week so he was doing the great mountian of back log when a fellow agent walked into his office.

"Agent Booth? You have a visitor."

Thinking it might be Bones playing tricks on him he nodded his acceptance. The agent walked back into the hall to wave someone in. She was a sight for sore eyes. Her uniform was the standard camo of the soldiers. Her blue eyes were tired and puffy from crying.

"Keita, my god what are you doing here?" Agent Booth asked wrapping his arms around her to give her a hug.

"Seeley, I need your help." She replied into his shoulder.

"You know that I'll help you with whatever I can. What is it you need?" Booth asked her breaking away from her to sit in one of his chairs in front of his desk. He motioned for her to sit next to him. She did hesitantly, that alerted him to the seriousness. This was a veteran who was skittish about sitting across from him. Sure she had changed some since the last time he had seen her, but she shouldn't fear him. What was up with her?

"It is rumored that you work with the best forensic anthropologist in the world."

"That is true. Rumored, where do you hear these rumors?"

"Just because you left the army, doesn't mean the army has left you." Keita replied with a hint of a smile.

"Are you in need of her help?" Booth asked his friend.

"Yes, I only want to tell my story once. Is there any way that you can enlist her help and then I'll explain. Ok?"

"Why don't we go visit her? Then you can tell her and the squints and me. It's good to see you."

"You won't be saying that soon enough." Keita replied but allowed booth to lead her from his office to his truck.

She sat in the passenger seat and almost laughed at how much sarge had changed. He had taught her how to be a sniper.

Booth was elated to see his former student, granted the last time he saw her she was sniping better than he did. She was one of the few females that the rangers had accepted the same time he was sergeant. He had laughed at her until she had out did him. It bothered him that she was crying and was asking for Bones's help. Judging by her patches she was a staff sergeant first class, meaning she now outranked him.

Pride swelled deep in his chest for her, and fear.

They drove to the Jeffersonian in silence. Booth left Keita to her thoughts for which Keita was grateful. She didn't want to have to explain to Booth how she had failed him. But she needed to in order to have his help.

They got to the Jeffersonian in record time even by Booth's standards. He parked his truck and hopped out. Keita followed after double checking all her guns were in their hiding places. Before they could walk into the lab though Booth stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Do you have anything I should know about?" he asked.

"Four 9 mils in various places and three pocket knives." was her rather curt reply.

Booth nodded. "You do have a permit for all of them right?"

Keita sighed and rolled her eyes. Being an agent now was really cramping his style. In a rather practiced move Keita removed her wallet from her back pocket and showed him her permits, she was permitted to carry six concealed weapons. She chose to carry four. Booth read the permit careful before nodding his acceptance. He released his hold on her arm as she put her wallet away.

"Do you still sniper?" he asked as he led her into the lab.

"Are you cleared for that information?" she asked back teasingly.

"No, but I did train you so I already knew that particular secret."

"Yes when I am called to do my duty, I do it. Better than you ever did anyways."

Booth arched an eyebrow at her but made no comment.

"Booth! What are you doing here? Do we have a case?" Dr. Brennan asked rather excitedly as she rushed over to the pair.

Keita unconsciously stepped away from Dr. Brennan, Booth noticed the movement and fought to hide a smile. Should the need arise, Keita wouldn't have the room to pull out her weapon without putting the good doctor in danger. He would have to talk to her about that later.

"Oh my god, Keita is that you?" cam asked as she noticed the commotion.

Keita looked at her in surprise.

"Booth didn't say you would be here, how have you been?"

"I am doing well. How is Faolan?" cam asked.

Keita shifted from foot to foot and wouldn't meet Booth's eyes.

"He is why I am here."


	2. Chapter 2

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

They had all gone up to the lounge after the initial introductions were made. All Booth had told them about Keita was that she was an old friend but where he knew her from none of them could guess. The squints sat at the table while Keita sat on the couch. Booth had hovered for a moment as if unsure of where to sit, before finally deciding to sit on the couch. Keita noticed in the back of her mind that he had given her space. Should the need arise that she had to defend herself she could. Some things never change.

"I suppose I should begin with my story, I am a sergeant major in the army. I cannot tell you what it is I do, but please believe I am a good guy." Keita started.

"Keita they know I was a sniper, it's not much of a jump for them to gather that you're the one I left the job to. I trained you." Booth told her quietly.

Keita's eyes snapped up to the 'squints' but found no condemning looks, just a vague sadness and understanding.

"That is classified information Booth!" she hissed at him anyway.

Booth just gave her his charm smile that had always made her knees melt. She had sometimes wondered if he knew the effect that smile had on her.

"Yes I am a sniper. The only reason might I add that Booth here let me take over is because it was proven that I'm a better shot than he is." Keita added smugly. Now the looks were of fear and impressed.

So they knew how well Booth could shoot. Wait until they here that I actually missed and that's why I'm in this mess. Keita thought to herself.

"Why don't you skip to the part where you need our help?" Booth encouraged.

"Well about a week ago, my brother and I were in Iraq. Faolan was scouting ahead and I was following looking for targets. We work well as a team. We were ambushed. The enemy caught my brother and threatened to kill him if I didn't retreat. There were only three of them, but I wasn't sure if I could kill them all before they killed Faolan. Plus I couldn't get a clear shot on the one that held my brother. You know me Seeley I will not shoot if I don't have a clear shot. A body appeared not three days later, just the bones. My superior says it's my brother. I don't think it is. That's where you come in Dr. Brennan, if you could just look at them and tell me if they are Faolan or not. I can either prepare a funeral or a rescue operation." I said solemnly.

Booth looked at Keita long and hard. "It's not your fault." Was all he said.

The squints all exchanged a look.

"Of course we will help you. How soon can you get the bones here?" Dr. Brennan said calmly.

"As long as it takes for Booth to drive me to my car and back." Keita replied.

Booth arched an eyebrow.

"You're running around with human remains in your car? How on earth did you get clearance for that?" he asked in utter disbelief.

Keita pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to Booth. Booth accepted it and read what it had to say before chuckling.

"So if we didn't agree you were going to blackmail us?" he asked.

"It's not black mail when it's a direct order." She replied her blue eyes sparkling with mirth.

"You call it what you will, but anyone that has a signed order from the General of the Army. What exactly does your brother do?"

"You my old friend do not have the clearance for that information. Just know that he is valuable. As you are. As I am. But he is more so, don't worry he's a worse shot than you. Like I said before he and I work well together. That is all you need to know. Plus I pulled some strings to get that letter."

"What kind of strings?" Booth asked unsure if he wanted to hear the answer.

"That you would personally come with me to rescue him. Should the bones not be his of course." Keita replied.

All Booth could think about was whether or not he could leave Bones for that mission.


	3. Chapter 3

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

Keita and Booth had left to go get the remains from her car. The squints took this as an opportunity to discuss the complications of this case.

"I knew her back when Seeley first came back from war. He brought her home with him. She was nice enough. Sad maybe, but nice. She's changed. War has changed her." Cam was telling her group.

"She seems to be really close to her brother. What about her parents?" Angela asked.

"From what I know they died when she went off to war. Her brother is older than her by a couple years. I am not sure what happened only that she doesn't like to talk about it." Cam replied.

"She seemed to be into Booth." Hodgens chimed in.

A dark look passed Brennan's face. One would say she was jealous; here was this girl from Booth's past who meant something to him. He cared for her. Booth was her partner not this strangers plaything. She was quickly deciding that she didn't like this new girl, only because of the way Booth looked at her.

"She will get our help and then be on her marry way. She will have no reason to stay once we identify the remains." Brennan said in her usual cold manner.

All three of her companions looked at her strangely.

"Bren is there something you want to tell us?" Angela asked picking up on the unspoken message.

"No, when they get back tell Booth that I am in my office." Brennan replied getting up and stalking to her office.

"I never thought I would see the day that she would get jealous over someone that means something to Booth. I would say that she feels threatened by Keita." Sighed Angela.

They fell silent.

"One of us needs to warn Booth and Keita. It's not fair that Brennan judge her just because she and Booth have a history, and Brennan won't admit that she loves Booth." Cam said to them.

"I will, after all I am her best friend. It's my place to interfere." Angela volunteered.

"It's agreed then. Before you send them to Brennan's office you tell them what is going on." Cam said before leaving the lounge to do paperwork in her office. Leaving Hodgens and Angela to themselves.


	4. Chapter 4

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

The drive to where Keita had parked her car took far longer than the first trip to the Jeffersonian, giving the old friends a chance to catch up. Booth drummed his fingers on the steering wheel lightly while waiting for the light to change.

"So Seeley, you have to tell me what is going on between you and Dr. Brennan. She was giving me the dirtiest looks." Keita said laughing.

"We are just partners nothing more. And she doesn't know she did that. She doesn't feel anything for me while I am head over heels in love with her. You tell anyone I told you that and I will get out my old sniper rifle." Booth threatened.

It was an empty threat and they both knew it.

"I really appreciate you going through all this trouble for me Seels."

"I don't think I can go with you Keita. I can't leave Bones. She needs me, more than you, you're a big girl." Booth said concentrating on the road more than necessary.

Keita nodded. "I thought you would say that, and I figured you would ignore a direct order. Seels I don't trust anyone else to have my back. If you don't help me, I'll go after him myself. Could you live with being the cause of my death?"

Booth swallowed angrily. How dare she try to use his guilt against him! He was outraged and scared all at once. He knew her well enough to know that she would make him think her dead. That would be punishment enough. He did owe his brother a debt of gratitude from when he was a prisoner of war. If it hadn't been for Faolan and Keita he wouldn't be here. Why hadn't she used that against him? He glanced at her and knew why in a heartbeat. It was the one thing she could say that would have him packing his bags and going with her. She couldn't live with the guilt of getting him killed by using blackmail. Booth shook his head. She really hadn't changed at all.

"I will go on three conditions, one I get any weapon I choose. Two you and I will discuss all moves, none of this I'm your superior crap. And three, you can explain to Cullen where I'm going."

"Assistant Director Hacker has already cleared you to go with me; I figured you would want to choose your own weapon. And as far as the officer thing, you know I can't let the ranks be insubordinate. I have three men that answer directly to me. My brother being one of them. You agree to play the good little solider in front of them and I agree to not abuse that power. I cant lose face. You know that." Keita returned to booths conditions.

She had three others under her including her brother? Booth suddenly found himself wondering exactly how much authority she had. She had to have fought for every scrap of respect she had. He would play the good little solider, he wasn't going to cost her what had taken her so long to get.

"Will I get to meet these other two soldiers before we go on this mission?" he asked.

"Yes, they will be arriving later. You are the lowest ranking out of us all." Keita warned.

Booth groaned, that meant they were all going to order him around. He was liking this idea less and less. Yet in his mind he had decided he would help her. Sometimes being Catholic was a real pain.

"I agree to all of your terms since you agree to mine." Booth said formally.

Keita nodded and hopped out of the truck as Booth stopped by her car. Pooping the trunk she pulled out a box and put it in the backseat before she climbed back into the passenger side. Booth just smiled and shook his head.

"So how are you going to leave your partner?" Keita asked.

"I don't know." Was the only reply she got.

The drive back to the Jeffersonian neither was looking forward to the next couple of hours but ironically it was for completely different reasons.


	5. Chapter 5

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

Booth insisted on carrying the box with the human remains in it, while Keita defensively watched his back. Booth couldn't help rolling his eyes at how much of a solider he still was. He naturally stayed out of her way. They walked into the lab of the Jeffersonian together. Angela saw them and came over with Hodgens close behind.

"Here you can put this on the platform while I find Bones." Booth said to Hodgens while handing the box over. Hodgens merely nodded accepting the box and going back to the platform.

Angela meanwhile took in the defensive stance of Keita and how she seemed to be flanking Booth.

"Booth, Bren is insanely jealous of your new friend. she told us that we would identify the remains and then be done with the case. Maybe you should talk to her." Angela said while watching Keita's reaction, to her surprise the solider started to laugh.

"I told you Seels." She said in between snorts of her pitiful attempt to hide that she was laughing. Booth threw her a dirty look only to be interrupted by male voice.

"Is that any way to talk to your commanding officer?" the intruder asked gruffly. Keita spun around and squealed before jumping into the soldier's arms. He caught her easily and spun her around before kissing her passionately. Booth found himself getting protective of her in an instant before it deflated to the memory that he was just a soldier, not her friend that could demand what was going on. Being at the bottom of the pecking order was going to take some adjusting.

Booth straightened up and saluted both the unknown soldier and Keita. Both returned the salute before Keita introduced her friend.

"Sergeant Booth this is Sergeant Cody, he is my first in command, and also my husband." She said carefully.

Hurt and slight betrayal flashed in Booth's eyes before he got himself under control enough to remember he wasn't her best friend anymore. She wasn't going to tell him everything. She should have told him she was married and one of her soldiers was her husband. Booth quickly dismissed the thought from his mind and focused on the task at hand while Angela made a noise before walking away shaking her head.

"It is good to see you, if you will excuse me I have something I need to attend to." Booth said as he spun around to go to Brennan's office.

"Has it been cleared with the commanding officer?" Cody asked.

"Cody stop it. He is not under you until we are shipped out. At the moment he is FBI, I really don't want him arresting you for harassment. So just chill." Keita said sharply. Being the one in charge Cody had to obey her or risk being found guilty of insubordination. She had made it clear that although he was her husband and she loved him, at work she was his superior and she would not hesitate to reinforce that fact. Cody understood why she was so defensive of her status. It had taken her a long time to get that far and no one would take it from her.

"I just don't like this Booth guy. He's the one that trained you isn't he?" Cody asked quietly.

Keita now saw where the problem was, Cody was feeling threatened by Booth. She rolled her eyes at all the jealousy going on. Between Cody and Dr. Brennan she and Booth had their hands full. She could only hope that the good doctor was as easy to placate as Cody was.

"Cody remind me, who did I marry?" she asked.

"Me."

"So who is it that I love based on that?"

"Me."

"So why are you worried about an old friend who happens to have been my mentor?"

"The way you used to talk about him, it was like no one could ever be as good as he was."

Keita laughed. Men, sometimes they were just so pitiful.

"He doesn't have anything on you in bed, ok?"

Cody looked at her to see if she was lying, not that he could ever really tell but found nothing but laughter and love in her eyes. Sighing to himself he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck, growling 'mine' before stepping back.

_This is going to be fun. These two are so much alike they are going to hate each other. I'm glad I'm in charge; if they don't behave I'll pull rank and make them both clean out the latrines until they can get along and work together. _Keita thought to herself. Having a decent plan to make them behave and thinking giving them work to do together that didn't depend on them to keep anyone alive might be a good starting place she led Cody to the lounge where they could sit and wait for the verdict of what the bones told them.


	6. Chapter 6

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

Booth walked into Brennan's office to see her typing away on her computer.

"Working on your book?" He asked with a grin. Deciding the best approach was to pretend he didn't know she was jealous.

"Oh your back, did you bring your friend?" she asked completely devoid of all emotion.

"Yes, and she brought her husband to help with the case." Booth replied casually.

Brennan took notice and calmed herself, rationalizing that she wasn't jealous of this new girl in Booth's life merely watching her partners back.

If the situation wasn't so dire Booth might have found humor in it all. Before Brennan could reply though Cody walked in and saluted Booth. Booth had to salute back without thinking.

"We need to talk." Was all Cody said before turning around and walking stiffly out the door.

Booth rolled his eyes.

"Sorry Bones but I have to see what he needs. He is a higher ranking officer than I am. The remains are on the platform in a box." Booth said as he followed Cody.

Cody led Booth to the lounge where Keita sat and waited for them to return. Both of them saluted her, she of course saluted back. Booth stood at attention without realizing that he was.

"At ease, both of you. I have a rather interesting mission for you both. So that I know you can work together and not try to get each other killed. I want lunch, I'm sure you are both hungry. So your mission is simple. Go get lunch for myself, yourselves, Dr. Brennan, Cam, Angela, and Hodgens. The catch is you can't ask us what we want. You have to go off of what you know, and you have to agree on it. If you don't agree you are not allowed to get it. For this exercise you're both corporals. There will be no pulling of rank. I expect the food to be hot when it arrives. And I expect you to be honest about how much arguing you did. You have a half hour." Keita said in her best commanding voice.

"Yes sergeant!" was the reply before both men saluted her again and made their exit.

Angela watched them leave walking rather stiffly and decided she wanted to know what Keita had sent them after so she walked up to the lounge to ask her.

"Where are the two studs going?" Angela asked as she sat beside Keita.

"To get lunch for everyone."

"Without asking what we want?"

"They have to learn to get along somehow, and personally I would rather it be over lunch and not when bullets are flying at me." Keita replied with a small smile.

"To much testosterone? So you think they are jealous of each other?"

"No, Cody is threatened by Booth because Booth is one of many ex's. And both is at the bottom of the pecking order so I put them both on even ground so they have to work together, I gave them a half hour but I doubt that we will be eating before two hours is up." Keita replied watching brennan start to work on the bones.

"Let no one ever tell you that you are dumber than you look. I would have never thought of sending them on some pointless task just to force them to get along."

"In my line of work it is important that you can trust those around you to have your back and to cooperate. If one upsets another, it throws everything out of balance. The cost is great, that is how innocent lives are lost. In all my missions I have only lost three innocents." Keita said by way of explanation.

Angela nodded, it made sense to her.

"Come on, I'll let you up on the platform so you can watch what we do." She said getting up and walking down the stairs. Keita followed her down and to the platform.

Brennan noticed her immediately though Keita was trying to stay out of the way.

"Do you know where Agent Booth went?"

"To get everyone lunch."

"Why would he leave in the middle of a case just for food?"

"I asked him and Cody to. They needed something to do."

"He is far more use here than out running around with your husband."

"Actually they were sent on this little side mission so that I could know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they could work together, that is far more important that sitting around here twiddling their thumbs. Look I have no interest in Booth. I had him and didn't want him. He's a good man but his guilt ruined a lot of things for us. If you want him just say so. He wants you. So stop dancing around it and deal!" Keita snapped at Brennan.

Angela and hodgens looked on sure that fireworks were going to start. However they were proven wrong when Brennan just nodded her head and said. "You will make sure he returns safely. That is all I ask."

"That is why the two boys are out getting lunch. So that he will come back safely and we can get my brother. These bones aren't of my brother. But I do want to know what innocent died." Keita replied casting an eye over the femur Brennan was holding.

"How do you know that he isn't your brother?"

"These are the bones of someone in their late thirties right?"

"Yes."

"Faolan is 29 years old. That's a big stretch, if you ask me."

"Again I ask how did you know?"

"I have to be able to identify bodies when I come across them. Brennan you may be the best in the field but I know enough to determine sex age and race. My job title is classified. But rest assured I am versatile in several things."

"I do believe I like you Keita." Brennan replied with a fond smile.

Keita nodded not knowing how much that one sentence would change the good doctor's attitude towards her. She stepped back to allow the squints the necessary room to identify the remains on the table. She could only hope that Cody and Booth had put aside their differences and were working together.

**should i write a chapter about booth and cody's trip to get lunch? if so do tell me, review, review. my muses are starting to get annoyed that no one is reviewing.**


	7. Chapter 7 authors note must read!

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

**i want to know if you all want me to make a chapter of booth and cody sorting out thier issues, or do you want me to abandon this story all together? im not getting any feed back and to be blunt, im not going to write a story that no one is going to read and appreciate. so let me know. before this wonderful story is gone forever.**

**also on a side note i realized that keita can read bones so why take the victum to dr brennan?**

**two reasons, one is she hadnt seen the bones herself, so she had no idea what the bones were about. she wasnt presant when they were collected.**

**and two. just b/c she is an educated soldier doesnt mean she knows how the person died, just age sex adn race. by taking the bones to dr brennan she could not only find out how the person died but also who. **

**so yeah, if you want me to continue plz review otherwise im going to tell myself that no one likes it well enough for me to continue.  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

Booth sighed as he climbed into his truck while Cody jumped into the passenger side; they had twenty eight minutes to get seven people lunch. Booth pulled out of the parking spot at a faster than normal speed.

"So you're her husband? How long have you been married?" Booth tried to break the ice.

Cody glanced at him coldly before sighing. "Almost three years. She saved my life and I fell in love. You were her mentor right?"

"That and more, yes. But now we are just friends. Hell I haven't seen her in almost six years. Is she staying out of trouble?"

Cody gave Booth a withering look. "Please tell me if you have ever known her to stay out of trouble?"

Booth laughed. "So she hasn't changed much, that's good. You seem like a good guy but so help me you had better not hurt her…." Booth growled.

"You'll get the pleasure of beating whatever remains of me after she's done with me. One thing I have learned about Keita, she does not like it when a man tries to do anything for her. She has her faults like we all do. This war has not been kind to her, she did have fifteen men. Now she only has myself, her brother, and Adrian." Cody said taking Booth's threat from him.

Booth couldn't help wondering what happened to the rest of Keita's men.

"What happened to the other twelve men?" he asked keeping his eyes on the road.

Cody looked out the passenger window.

"She did what she thought was right. It cost her twelve of her men." Cody replied cryptically.

Mission gone wrong, every commander's nightmare.

"In her defense if the men had listened to her they would still be here." Cody continued.

"That's why she demands obedience." Booth said understandingly.

Booth understood, it was most likely that she was a woman that the men didn't listen to her. She learned a hard lesson that could have been avoided.

"I don't know if you will agree with me but I say we get Keita's last. That way at least hers is hot." Booth purposed changing the subject.

"That sounds like an excellent idea. What do you purpose we get the others?" Cody asked glad for the change. He loved Keita but that particular memory of those men and how they died would be forever burned into his brain.

"Cam likes anything with lots of fat and meat in it. Hodgens will be tougher as I have no idea what his eating habits are. I would imagine a hamburger and fries would suffice for him as well. Angela is an artist who has an insane love of fried food. Bones is the easiest, fries and a veggie wrap from the diner would make her happy. What about Keita?" Booth asked Cody.

Cody nodded. "She would be happy with almost anything. The trouble isn't finding something she likes but with getting her to actually eat it."

Booth smiled knowingly. "My partner won't even let me go for food half the time."

Cody chuckled; maybe they could get along after all. "So have you been keeping up with the hockey scores?"

Booth grinned at him, oh yes this was the start of a beautiful friendship. They spent the rest of the trip talking about sports, thoughts of the women they both loved a million miles away.

**this gives a little of a back story to why keita is so hard on her men. **


	9. Chapter 9

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

Keita was vaguely surprised when Cody and Booth walked in at just the half hour mark with seven bags of food split between them. Booth handed Dr. Brennan, Hodgens, and Cam theirs while Cody seemed to have his own, hers and Booth's. Keita was seated in the lounge area trying to relax when she felt someone tap her shoulder. Without thinking she swung, Cody being long used to this reaction neatly avoided the fist. He took a step back to allow her to realize it was just him and Booth. She nodded to herself; she had known they were here so why did Cody surprise her like that? Before she could contemplate anymore both men stood at attention waiting for her.

"At ease both of you. So tell me the truth how much fighting?" she asked watching as Booth slid into 'at ease' with ease. His training from years ago came back in a rush.

"No fighting, we found a common ground and decided it was easier to get along." Cody answered handing her the sack of food that was for her.

Keita nodded and sighed. She didn't have to say anything, Cody knew the look on her face, she wasn't going to eat it.

Booth recognized her look as the same one bones got when she didn't want to eat either.

"This is F.B.I. agent speaking, but if you don't eat I'll tell Cody here all about that time that you spent a week ___" Booth started to say.

"Enough! If you are going to try to black mail me at least try to use something that isn't so pathetic." Keita exclaimed opening the sack of food and getting the cheeseburger out.

"If it wasn't pathetic enough, you would just tell him yourself and then I would have nothing. But I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you would _never _tell him that particular story. Sorry Cody but if you're curious about what I started you probably will never know. I know that as long as I don't tell anyone about that adventure, Keita will behave and eat when we bring her food." Booth said the glint in his eyes.

"Cody do you hear this? He is so black mailing a ranking officer." Keita told her husband outraged.

"Yes, he is. The easy way to get out of it is to just tell me this story." Cody replied calmly slightly upset with himself for not coming up with that idea sooner. He was liking Booth more and more.

Booth was pleased with himself that he had gotten Keita to eat. He didn't mind her complaining and fussing, so long as she ate. He had no intention of telling Cody about what had happened but there was no harm in making her think that he would. He and Cody sat down to eat their meals, before Booth could fully enjoy his food he noticed the smirk that Keita now wore. Uh oh, what had he gotten himself into?

"Seels, since you want to black mail me. I am going to black mail you, if you never want those three girls down there to know exactly how your bedroom manners are, I would resend your previous blackmail." Keita said low and sultry.

Booth's face lost all color.

"Is this the whole I'm better in bed than he is thing?" Cody piped up.

Booth swung hazel eyes on him before glancing at Keita, who wore an amused smirk.

"You told him?" the low, whiskey tones left no room for error.

"No, I didn't tell him what happened, just that he was better in bed than you. And as of six years ago that was true." She replied crisply.

Booth groaned and slunk back into the chair. She was talking about their final encounter before she left him for good. He often wondered if it was why she left him.

"Alright, I won't tell if you won't tell. But you will eat. I don't care if I have to pin you down and force feed you." Booth conceded.

Keita nodded. "I'm sure there is some arrangement we could come to."

"So tell me this, exactly how many lovers have you had?" Cody suddenly asked her, curious now.

"Five, including you and me." Booth said without hesitation, answering for Keita.

Keita blushed a deep red that Booth would know the answer.

Cody nodded thoughtfully. "And you would call yourselves now?"

"Friends. Only friends, well maybe Seels here is like another brother, now. But before I got lost in his charm. I was just a girl, his charm doesn't work so well anymore, but then again I've seen him at his worst. Do you still gamble?" Keita asked lightly.

Cody just sat back and watched his wife reconnect with her former mentor, none of them knew how important this simple act of kindness would turn out to be.


	10. Chapter 10

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

Keita and Booth were picking on each other without mercy when Keita stiffened and motioned for both men to crouch behind the couch. She drew two of her four guns making Booth draw his as well. Cody just crouched beside his wife.

On the platform the squints had finished their lunch and were getting back to work when roughly twenty men walked in armed to the teeth. Keita watched them surround the platform in a well practiced maneuver.

"We want the leader of the soldiers. Keita. Come out come out wherever you are!" the leader yelled loudly enough for all to hear.

Keita exchanged a look with Booth before slowly standing both guns pointed at her adversary.

"So Ryan you found me, what is it that you could possibly want?"She asked slowly stalking down the steps.

Booth looked at Cody who was still hiding behind the couch, he wore a grim expression. Booth was liking this less and less. He wondered why Cody hadn't joined her when it dawned on him. She hadn't told him to do anything, so he was going to crouch there until ordered to move. That must have been how she lost her men. Charging straight into enemy fire half cocked.

Ryan pointed his gun at Dr. Brennan. She merely looked at him coldly.

"You shoot me my partner will kill you."

"He will not leave here alive." Keita informed them all.

Ryan laughed. "Now is that any way to treat an old friend?"

"Old friend? You led my men straight into that trap and I do believe the last time I saw you, I swore I would kill you." She replied.

"You're all by yourself. Can you really kill all of my men by yourself?"

Keita made a snap decision. "Seels! Now!" she yelled as she started to calmly put bullets between Ryan's men's eyes. Booth didn't hesitate. He lined his shots up just as fast as she did. In a matter of a minute all of Ryan's men lay dead on the floor with Keita's gun leveled on Ryan.

Ryan wore a horrified and confused expression.

"How did you manage to pull that off? I know you're a sniper, but Cody is a lousy shot."

Keita looked slightly smug as she hollered up the stairs. "Seels Fall in!"

Booth got up and came down the stairs to stand at attention behind her. Ryan still looked confused.

"Let me explain, this is my mentor. Seels. He taught me how to shoot as well as I do. Therefore it only stands to reason that he can shoot as well as I can. Don't you think?" Keita said sweetly.

"Relax." She said over her shoulder to Booth who immediately fell into his shooters stance that mirrored Keita.

"Ryan if you would kindly put your weapon down, you will be arrested and not killed." Keita said calmly.

"You have no authority to arrest me." Ryan spat back.

"But I do. F.B.I. put the gun down and put your hands on your head." Booth said.

"Never!" Ryan replied swinging his gun to Dr Brennan.

Booth heard three shots fire but couldn't watch what happened next.


	11. Chapter 11

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

Booth looked around wildly to see that his beloved Bones was still standing, he rushed to her, setting off the platform alarms and not caring. He checked every inch of her before being satisfied that she was indeed uninjured.

Keita smiled to herself when Booth ran to his partner. She couldn't figure out why they didn't just tell each other they loved each other. She went over to Ryan's body to see that he had three bullet holes between his eyes. Two she knew were from hers and Booths guns. But where had the third come from? Absent mindedly she put her two guns back in their hiding spot before looking at Booth.

Cody came down the stairs to check on his wife and return the gun he had swiped when she had passed him. He as a rule didn't carry a firearm unless absolutely necessary. He handed back her gun which she promptly hid again. He had killed Ryan, looking at his body in the puddle of blood turned his stomach and before he knew it he was throwing up all over the floor of the lab.

Dr. Brennan started to say something but was hushed by a rather stern look from Booth.

"That soldier is throwing his guts up making a kill to save your life; you _will not_ get onto him about contaminating the floor. You will not speak to him unless you have something nice to say to him." Booth hissed in her ear.

Brennan was surprised at how forceful Booth was being. If it meant that much to him then she would keep her mouth shut.

Keita watched Cody process what had happened. She knew what Booth didn't, it was his first kill. And since all three had hit at the exact time there was no way that she could tell him that he hadn't killed Ryan. Keita glanced at Booth before going to her husband's side and murmuring hushed nonsense in his ear.

It wasn't too long before Booth's suspicions were confirmed on Ryan being Cody's first kill. The proud soldier started sobbing and shaking in his wife's arms rather violently.

"How do you handle this? Killing without remorse?" Cody asked Keita.

Keita frowned, she had no clue how she could kill and not worry about it. She was careful to not kill unless absolutely last resort. But that wasn't the answer that Cody needed. She felt rather helpless until she remembered her first kill and Booths words that she tried to remember every time she sniped someone.

"Well a wise man once told me that if I kill to protect those that are innocent and not to help those that are corrupt then I am doing my job as a soldier and the United States is proud to call me one of theirs. But if at anytime I feel that it wasn't absolutely the last resort then I should turn myself into the local authorities. Would it appease your guilt if Booth arrested you?" she asked him seriously.

Booth stood motionless stunned that she remembered her first kill so vividly. He had tried to placate her as she was sobbing just like Cody was. And he had turned her in to the court marshals, even though they knew that she was on a mission. He had called in a couple favors and made them pretend they were going through the motions of arresting her. She had her whole confession time as well. They had prodded her until in her anger and desperation told them all it was a direct order and a soldier can never disobey their superior. She had walked out able to deal with every death that was handed to her. He had never seen her get upset over a death again. If that was what Cody needed then he would arrest him.

Cody for the most part ignored everyone in the room and tried to calm himself. Did he want to be arrested for a murder that was clearly self defense? He raised his eyes to meet booths.

"I do not need to be arrested for something that was clearly self defense. He was going to kill the Doctor. My job is to protect and serve, in order to protect today I had to kill. Sergeant may I be excused to go for a walk?" Cody asked.

Keita knew he was unarmed but still worried for him. She didn't know what to do.

"Keita we need to get these bodies cleaned up, if you're unsure I can get one of my agents to accompany him." Booth said calmly as the sound of sirens started to be heard.

Keita nodded. She couldn't go with him. The F.B.I. would need her statement and her gun.


	12. Chapter 12

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

Booth sent Cody off with one of his agents, making it perfectly clear to the agent that Cody wasn't in custody. But this was his first kill. The agent nodded his understanding. He himself got most of the younger agents through their first kill. As they walked away from the lab Keita joined Booth.

"Are you sure that's a good agent?" she asked him, concerned for her husband evident.

Booth was insulted at first but then realized that if the shoe were on the other foot he would be just as protective of his Bones. Chuckling to himself for the reference of staking a claim on her. She would tell him he was being all alpha male.

"Yes, Keita, he is in good hands. Agent David has talked most of the younger agents through their first kills. Where as you and I don't like to kill, we can deal. Though I think Sweets is going to have a hay day with all this." Booth replied looking at the F.B.I. team collecting the bodies.

"You know there is something that is bothering me. You get shot at or hear someone being shot at that is close to you. You draw your gun. You find cover, something. These men never broke formation. Some of the shoots weren't easy and I was almost certain I would hit one of the scientists. But I was still able to shoot a non moving target. To the question becomes, were they to afraid of Ryan to break formation, or were they to confident in that they thought either I wouldn't or couldn't make most of those shots?" Keita asked Booth.

Booth frowned, she was right. In the confusion of making sure that Brennan was safe he hadn't even noticed that. For two war soldiers, that was a big deal.

"Who was Ryan?" Booth asked watching the scientists collect evidence.

"That is a long story, but he was one of my men that thought he knew better than me. Led my men against me. I lost twelve that day, all because I couldn't see the lies he was planting in their head. They ran straight into what I had previously told them was a trap. He ran away, I yelled after him that if I ever saw him again I would kill him. I would have gladly gone to jail just for that honor. But since the three of us shot him at once there is no way to tell which gun killed him. I'm rather glad that we are calling him Cody's first kill. Cody needed it. Is that too harsh?" Keita asked her friend.

Booth shook his head but he understood. Before he could say anything Brennan's voice interrupted them.

"Booth come here and look at this." She said from where she was stooped over Ryan's body.

Keita followed Booth over to her. Brennan held out a piece of paper to them both.

"What is this Bones?" Booth asked opening it. The picture at the top of the page made Keita gasp in horror.

There was a human body that was bloody and beaten to be almost unrecognizable. What made Keita's stomach turn even more is that there were two pairs of feet. Underneath the picture it simply said.

_How much you give up to save them? Your their leader, come lead them away from me. But first you have to find me. Ryan could have told you where I am. But he is dead now. If by your hand or mine I do not know. Time is being wasted. Now you must make haste. Unless you want to add your friend and your lover to the list of those that need to be saved?_

Booth glanced at Keita trying to get a read on her. All he saw was fury. He almost pitied the idiot that was toying with her.

"Friend and lover? What does he mean by that?" Brennan asked.

"Me and Cody are next on his list." Booth replied low and calmly. Brennan knew that tone, he was very upset and angry.

Before anyone could say anything more, Agent David stumbled into the lab sporting a bleeding skull.

Booth and Keita ran to him.

"What happened?"

"We were surrounded, they took my gun. Told Cody that if he wanted me to live then he would come quietly. He did, I would have gladly died if that meant he didn't go with him. But he didn't give me a choice. Cody knocked me over the head, when I came to they were gone."

Without thinking Keita drew her gun and pointed it point blank in Agent David's face.

"You let my husband go to certain death. Now you die." She said low and deadly.


	13. Chapter 13

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

Keita was not able to think straight, all she wanted to do was shoot someone. At the moment Agent David seemed like a good enough target. She didn't care if she was arrested for murder, didn't care what anyone would think or say, she needed to do something. Her eyes stung with unshed tears, she refused to cry, and she had to save her men.

For Agent David's credit he stayed as still as he could. While Booth went into action, the only thing Booth could do was step in front of the gun. Booth was vaguely aware that when he stepped in front of the gun he had lined it up with his heart. Should Keita fire, it would kill him. He started talking to her, not letting his voice shake. Though how he wasn't trembling was a mystery.

"Ket its Seels, put the gun down. This is not the way to save your men. I will help you any way I can, but I can't help you if you get arrested." Booth said calmly. Agent David walked out from behind Booth intent on at least getting his gun on her. Booth noticed and shook his head. That would get him killed for sure.

"David don't do anything, I have this under control." Was all he said. Agent David nodded and stepped away. By now everyone in the lab had noticed what was going on. Everyone was watching the scene before them unfold.

"Ket, I mean it, put your gun down." Booth said with a little more authority.

"You have no right to order me, I outrank you."

"That may be true in the army rankings, but have you forgotten I'm F.B.I.?" Booth asked back.

Keita shook her head, clearing it and realized she was holding a gun on her friend. She yelped in surprise, and pulled her gun back and away. Booth let out a sigh but not before Brennan joined them.

"Booth! You could have gotten yourself killed and then where would I be?" she exclaimed glaring at a confused Keita.

Booth couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Keita had to come back to herself, she lost all her men to this one enemy that seems to know her. She was stressing, and so I did the only logical thing. I put myself at the end of her gun. She wouldn't shoot me." Booth said as if it were the simplest explanation ever.

"What would I do without you?" Brennan asked.

Booth arched an eyebrow at that, it could be taken so many different ways,

"I just mean, that it will be difficult to retrain my new partner if you are so foolish as to get yourself killed." Brennan explained before going back to the platform.

Booth glanced at Keita; he could only imagine what was going through her head. If someone was holding Jared, Hodgens, and Bones captive he would be inclined to start shooting people without caring who got in the way of the bullets. She was calm again, without any sign of a firearm.

"Maybe you should let me hold onto your guns until we figure out what to do. I don't like that you pulled one on me but I'm not going to arrest you for it, that would be signing your men's death warrants for sure." Booth told her.

Keita nodded. "On one condition, you're not more than arms length away from me. Where you go, I go." As she handed all three guns over to Booth, who promptly checked their safety before stuffing them into his belt around his waist, he put two behind his back and one on the right side.

"Even when I go to the bathroom?" Booth asked teasingly.

"There is nothing there I haven't seen before." Keita replied evenly.

Booth groaned, it was going to be a long day.


	14. Chapter 14

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

Brennan was examining Ryan's body on the platform while Keita and Booth paced nearby. Keita didn't like that Booth had her guns, but should the need arise she could get to them fairly easily. Booth watched her carefully, he knew that the only reason she handed over her guns was because she trusted him. It bothered him immensely that she had lost control of herself, one thing about snipers is that they don't lose control of themselves. Booth sighed, thinking about all of this made his head hurt. They all knew he was next.

Keita couldn't believe it; whoever it was that was pulling the strings knew far too much about her. The unknown person knew her history and her friends, even knew of what happened with all her men. All she wanted to do was fall to the ground and cry. How could she have been so irresponsible as to not protect the ones that were in her care? A soft voice forced her from her thoughts.

"Ket, are you sure you don't know who this is?" Booth asked for the millionth time, or so it seemed. He had been calling her by her nickname since she had pulled the gun on him. Almost as if to remind her subtly that she wasn't alone.

"I don't know Seels, I have been trying to think of who it could be and all I come up with is a blank." She replied turning to face him.

Booth nodded, it was unlikely that they would figure out who was behind this if she didn't even know where to start.

Brennan watched them closely, she couldn't help but wonder about their relationship. The biggest thing that irritated her was how Keita could nickname Booth. He always insisted that everyone call him by his last name, but here was this woman calling him by his first. She decided to try an experiment and see where it got her.

"Seels, could you come here for a moment?" she asked her partner who spun around with wide eyes at her.

Before he could answer though Keita was beside him asking her.

"What did you find _Bones?" _

Booth could see the wheels turning in Brennan's head.

"Don't call me Bones." She said annoyed.

Keita just chuckled, winking at Booth replied.

"How I just made you feel, is how you made him feel. That slight hurt and strange feeling of betrayal as well as the outrage that someone would dare call you something reserved for someone else. I wasn't trying to offend you, just make a point. You strike me as someone who doesn't get that fire is hot until you have stuck your hand in it and burned the crap out of your hand." Keita said lightly.

Booth was amazed at how quickly Keita had figured Brennan out and with how easily she handled the situation. Instead of getting territorial and making a scene she just reversed what was happening back onto Brennan. Brennan stood there thinking about what had just happened. She understood how she had made Booth feel because it was how she felt. Keita was right.

"It just surprised me that he would allow you to give him a nickname." She said by way of explanation.

_Oh Bones is jealous. That's a first and it's over my relationship with Keita. What does that say about us? Could she love me? I know I love her. _Booth thought to himself.

Keita just shook her head.

"I already told you I have no claim on him. He is an old friend, we care for each other. We trust each other, but besides that I have no interest in him. And he knows I'm married so he has no interest in me. Dr. Brennan I'm not the one he wants." Keita said knowingly.

"Oh and who is it do you think he wants?" Brennan couldn't help but ask.

"First you answer a question for me, who was the first person he ran to, to make sure they werent hurt after the gun fight?"

"You then me."

"Wrong, he didn't even glance in my direction, at that moment he didn't care if I lived or died as long as you were ok. What does that tell you? If you think I'm so important to him?" Keita said looking her square in the eyes.

Booth at this point was getting uncomfortable with the conversation.

"Still standing here you know?" he interjected just to be ignored. He glanced around to see the team looking at Keita and Brennan in disbelief. Here was this strange point blank pointing out what they all danced around for a long time.

Brennan sucked in a breath, and continued.

"Are you saying that he loves me?"

"No."

Brennan's face fell.

"I'm saying he is _in_ love with you. He loves me and Cam and Hodgens, but he is helplessly and hopelessly in love with you. I'm willing to bet that you're his first thought in the morning and his last at night." Keita continued ignoring both her and Booth's expressions.

"He told me he loved me but in that atta girl kinda way. I'm not even sure what that means." Brennan stated calmly.

"It means his relationship like mine. Like I said he loves me, but he could live without me. You on the other hand, if you died, he would pull the trigger in his own brains because he can't live without you." Keita said to the overwhelmed doctor.

"I need time to think about this."

"You mean you want time to devise a plan to run." Keita reiterated.

Everyone looked at her in surprise. How could this stranger know so much about how Brennan works?

Keita looked around and noticed all the looks.

"I'm sorry, was I supposed to walk on eggshells and ignore what was obvious from the beginning. If one of you had pushed, these two would have been married and had two children by now!" she said defensively.

"I don't believe in marriage." Brennan replied automatically. Though she wasn't sure if that were true anymore, not since she had realized that she loved Booth.

"Keita I cannot believe you just did that." Booth said low and deadly.

"Is she wrong? You don't love me do you? I knew it." Brennan said before stalking off the platform and to her office.

"Don't look at me big guy, you're the idiot that opened your mouth."

"You don't understand, I had a tumor and it messed with my mind, now I'm in love with her. I wasn't before."

"would you have done anything to save her before the tumor?" Keita asked.

"He would move heaven and hell to save her, did a few times." Cam piped up.

Keita shook her head.

"Would you do that for me? No, you'd do enough to appease your guilt but you wouldn't move heaven and hell. Sometimes Seels you're an idiot."

"what do I do now?" Booth asked.

"Go after her."

Booth nodded and headed to her office. Only to come out almost immediately with a piece of paper, he came back to where Keita stood and handed it to her, fury and fear in his eyes.

_I didn't say what friend, for a smart girl you are such a fool sometimes. _

_She was the easiest to busy crying to notice me. What did you do to her?_

_Do you think you can save her along with the rest of your men? _

_I wonder if she will survive. Are you going to do as I ask now, Keita?_

_Or do I have to take everything from you?_


	15. Chapter 15

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

Booth had given Keita back her guns as they searched the premises for anyone who didn't belong. The search came up empty. Booth was having a hard time controlling his anger. When they came up empty handed he exploded.

"This is all your fault!" he yelled at Keita. Her hands twitched to her guns in response, though she didn't show any other sign of caring that Booth had just yelled in her face.

"I suppose you're right, if I hadn't come to an old friend for help getting my brother, you would still have your love. I am truly sorry. I will go and get them." Keita replied quietly.

Her quiet demeanor derailed Booth's rant on the spot. She wasn't fighting or arguing with him. He had crossed the line, putting all the blame on her. He knew that she blamed herself enough, and if he was blaming her then they couldn't work together to rescue them.

"I'm sorry, hey, don't be like this. We need to work together. Remember? Seels and Ket, like old times." Booth said wrapping his arms around her.

"This is making less and less sense. There is nothing, anywhere. It's like Dr. Brennan was swallowed into the floor. One minute she's in her office and the next she is gone." Cam said as she walked to them.

Booth released Keita and stepped away from her slightly.

"So we have nothing?"

"That's what I said isn't it?" Cam snapped.

Keita had enough of everyone's temper, without pause she took out her gun and fired one shot in the air causing Booth to automatically draw his weapon and everyone else flinch.

"The next person to have anything remotely negative to say will be shot by me, I have not decided if it will be fatal or not. I am faster than Booth, do not try me." She said forcefully.

In a blur of movement her gun was put back where it belonged. Booth slowly re-holstered his gun. Not sure if she meant it or not.

"What do we have?" Keita asked the scientists.

"A couple notes. That's all. It's not much to go on." Hodgens replied before cringing as if expecting her to shoot him.

"Can you pull trace particulates from them? Maybe see who all has touched them? Finger prints? Booth's and mine are in the system so you can rule us out. Anything like that?" Keita asked calmly as if she hadn't just fired a shot from her gun.

Hodgens looked thoughtful.

"There is one thing that I could check for but I would need permission." Hodgens said hesitantly.

Keita got her gun back out and cocked it point blank in his face.

"Permission enough for you?" she asked.

Hodgens gulped and nodded before turning to his task at hand. Keita re-pocketed her gun.

"You really need to stop threatening them." Booth said quietly. "It never works for me."

Keita spun around to look at him. "That is because they know you won't shoot them. I on the other hand pulled a gun on a federal agent and shot a random bullet into the air. Who's to say I won't shoot them?"

Booth just shook his head and smiled. Keita could always find someway of getting people to work harder.

"He must be watching you, to take Bones. You didn't know each other from before did you?" Booth asked.

Keita searched her brain and couldn't come up with any situation that she had met Brennan in before.

"No, sorry Seels. I don't know." She told him.

"Guys you need to come take a look at this face and tell me if it's anyone you know." Angela called from her office.

Booth and Keita trudged down to her office somewhat slowly, neither was eager to see the face to the skull; they feared it would be a friend. Keita entered before Booth who stepped aside to let her through. She glanced around the office but didn't notice any possible threat. Experience had taught her that just because she couldn't see it, didn't mean it wasn't there. While keeping an ear out for anything that would pose a threat she turned to the face on the screen and at first didn't recognize it.

"Anything?" Angela asked as both of them shook their heads at her.

"Are these different? Can you make his nose slightly bigger? And his eyes further apart while staying true to the skull?" Keita asked.

"Yes, this is just a rough estimate. Here let me see if I can fix those for you." Angela replied.

"Keita do you know who it is?" Booth asked as Angela readjusted the eyes and nose.

Keita turned back to Booth and nodded.

"That is Aiden, my oldest brother. He was said to be dead in a bomb years ago. Why are his bones just now showing up? Seels you don't think there is a traitor do you?" Keita asked suddenly very afraid.

"I don't know." Booth replied as his mind came to the same conclusions as hers.

Someone higher up than either of them was pulling their strings and four lives depended on them figuring out who and stopping them in time.


	16. Chapter 16

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

Neither Booth nor Keita could think of anyone in the upper ranks being a traitor. That just wasn't the army way. The scientists had pulled Booth away from Keita who had retreated to the lounge to get coffee and think. She didn't mind that they wanted to talk to him alone. After she had gotten her third cup of coffee she felt a presence behind her and pulled her gun to aim it point blank at Booth's head.

"Seels you of all people know better than to sneak up on me!" she exclaimed pocketing her gun.

Booth just smiled and shook his head.

"What can I say I never learn? You have the squints terrified that you're going to shoot them, so they told me so that I could tell you, we have nothing. Any ideas?"

She sat back down on the couch.

"No, I've been up here thinking about who it could be. I have nothing." Keita replied.

Booth nodded as Keita's phone started to go off. Keita answered it.

"Keita speaking."

Her face took on a grim look before she put her phone on speaker.

"Have you decided to play by my rules yet?" the disembodied voice said in a mocking tone.

"Who are you?" Keita asked.

"You know who I am, as does that agent beside you does."

Keita and Booth glanced at each other and then looked around. They were completely alone.

"Don't bother looking for me, I'm not there. But since you're listening to this Seeley, what would you do to save your past and your future?"

Keita threw Booth a quizzical look as Booth paled a little.

"I would die for her. You keep your hands off Dr. Brennan." Booth growled at the person on the other end of the phone.

"You amaze me Seeley, you really do. You took such a liking to that bitch Keita, you were so sure she could shoot better than anyone else. Never even looked at the rest of us." The voice growled suddenly knew who it was but before she could ask Booth was growling back at him.

"Keita is a better shot than anyone I know."

"Would you be willing to bet lives on that statement?"

The gambler rose up in Booth before he could stop it.

"You name when and where, well be there and shell show you just how well she can shoot."

"I will be calling back with that information, pray your right Seeley."

The caller disconnected the call. Booth looked at Keita's horrified expression.

"What?"

"You do realize you just volunteered me to show off how well I can shoot against the one person I was never able to out shoot right?"

Booth sputtered for a moment before finally asking

"You mean that was Jake? As in Jake who you almost beat at the sniper competitions Jake?"

Keita sighed and nodded.

"I'm afraid so Seels. There is more to that story than meets the eye as well. we have time, I should have told you before."

Booth sat down next to her.

"It all started when you took me under your wing….."


	17. Chapter 17

**i dont own bones. please review. my muses seem to really like this story, please review.  
**

"So I was in my first month of training, Jake was insanely jealous and somewhat unstable. I'm surprised that our superiors let him anywhere near the guns. That's not the point. He started this game of hazing. He would write me notes telling me you pitied me. After my first kill I almost thought that was true, but as you know I am not one to just believe what I'm told by someone that was so obviously not all there in the head. He was a good shot, but there is just a certain level of danger being nuts. I walked a fine line with him, and then after you and I had gone on a couple missions he got worse. He would aim his firearm at me point blank and threaten to kill me. I never flinched or scared. He seemed to get angrier and angrier. The day he was transferred was the day two things happened; I breathed a sigh of relief. And he told me that he would make me as miserable as I made him. And that one day he would kill me. I never told anyone for a number of reasons, the biggest being I didn't take him seriously. Now because of that Jake has your partner hostage along with my men. What are we going to do?" I asked Booth as I sat on the couch fiddling with my hands.

Booth paced back and forth across the platform, muttering to himself.

Booth took out his phone and dialed a number.

"Hey Charlie I need you to check a person named Jake Summerton. I have reason to believe he's in D.C. area. Get back to me as soon as you can. Thank you." Was all he said into the phone, not once did he stop his pacing.

"This is all because of me you know. If I had stepped aside and let him be a sniper…"

"Then he would be sniping people instead of abducting them. I'd rather it this way." Booth interrupted me with his back to me. I knew what he was thinking; he was thinking to himself that he had almost trained a natural born killer to kill.

"So what are we going to do? We don't even know where he is or even where to start." I said to Booth.

Booth sighed and sat down next to me.

"No we don't know where to start, but we will. I won't rest until your men and my bones are safe at home." Booth growled at me.

I chuckled under my breath that he thought he could intimidate me. I have the advantage most people don't; I've seen him at his most vulnerable.

"You do know that I'm not afraid of you right? Because if I need to remind you, you used to enjoy playing with your handcuffs as I recall." I teased lightly.

Booth froze and then smiled, his eyes lost their hardness, they went from black to hazel.

I sighed, I really hated having to bring up things about him that he would rather no one knew just to get some kind of cooperation, and as usual for me before I could tell him as much Cam came running up the stairs breathing hard and panting.

"We…know….where….they….are…..being….held….captive." she gasped out.

Booth and I jumped to our feet as one.

"Where?" I growled.

"Sugar Grove Virginia. A good eight hours from here." Cam replied.

"It won't take Booth and I that long to go that far. Do you have an address?"

"5521 Starlight Lane, sugar grove VA 24375."

"Let's go." Booth said turning on his heel and walking out.

I stayed on his heels. I had four guns and sniper training; Booth had sniper training and one gun. Hopefully Booth would stop for reinforcements before taking off for his partner.

**ok i wanted to take a moment and tell you that im sorry it took so long to update it, but i needed to rethink the plot. now that i have a clear direction that i am taking this, i will update more often. **


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